A few final musings from Purdue's 67-65 win at No. 15 Ohio State, because I know how you like musings.
• If that scene after the game didn't already make Jaden Ivey an all-time favorite for a lot of Purdue fans, I'll be damned. You'd have to be the freaking tin man to not have been moved by that. First time I ever had to fight off a lump in my own throat during a press conference, to be totally honest.
* Not only did Zach Edey play well, but he dunked on E.J. Liddell's head. That's what you want to see — Edey being the aggressor. He's coming along.
• Eric Hunter played better than his stats. It was so important Purdue's guards be aggressive against this team, and he set a tone, as they all did. They were overmatched last season by Ohio State. Their maturity really showed up tonight.
• Can't help but think the freshmen's swagger has really rubbed off on this whole team. They've been like a can of Red Bull after a couple cans of warm milk transferred from last year's team. It's not my intent to keep throwing those two juniors under the bus, but I think you're seeing real-time the differences between last year and this year for yourself and it's not painting a pretty picture for last year.
• Aaron Wheeler takes a lot of hell from people on the Internet, and I'll admit it can a wild ride sometimes, but you have to give him big-time credit for that final minute. He did everything right in a situation he normally wouldn't be on the floor. Four impactful plays to help Purdue win the game.
• Micah Shrewsberry is doing a hell of a job with situational offense.
• Lost in all the big shots is the fact that Purdue got enormous defensive stops, too. Purdue Is really finding itself in that regard, too, and the big difference between tonight and Penn State was that it got the rebounds it didn't get on Sunday.
• Matt Painter vs. Juwan Howard for Midseason Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year this weekend.
• Purdue's put itself in a great spot for the NCAA Tournament, with tons of home games left and three Quad 1 wins in-hand already, maybe four if Michigan State can get its act together.
But if Purdue beats Michigan Friday, it's time to not just wonder about the NCAA Tournament, but to start talking about the Boilermakers as a Big Ten contender.
Already.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and good night.
• If that scene after the game didn't already make Jaden Ivey an all-time favorite for a lot of Purdue fans, I'll be damned. You'd have to be the freaking tin man to not have been moved by that. First time I ever had to fight off a lump in my own throat during a press conference, to be totally honest.
* Not only did Zach Edey play well, but he dunked on E.J. Liddell's head. That's what you want to see — Edey being the aggressor. He's coming along.
• Eric Hunter played better than his stats. It was so important Purdue's guards be aggressive against this team, and he set a tone, as they all did. They were overmatched last season by Ohio State. Their maturity really showed up tonight.
• Can't help but think the freshmen's swagger has really rubbed off on this whole team. They've been like a can of Red Bull after a couple cans of warm milk transferred from last year's team. It's not my intent to keep throwing those two juniors under the bus, but I think you're seeing real-time the differences between last year and this year for yourself and it's not painting a pretty picture for last year.
• Aaron Wheeler takes a lot of hell from people on the Internet, and I'll admit it can a wild ride sometimes, but you have to give him big-time credit for that final minute. He did everything right in a situation he normally wouldn't be on the floor. Four impactful plays to help Purdue win the game.
• Micah Shrewsberry is doing a hell of a job with situational offense.
• Lost in all the big shots is the fact that Purdue got enormous defensive stops, too. Purdue Is really finding itself in that regard, too, and the big difference between tonight and Penn State was that it got the rebounds it didn't get on Sunday.
• Matt Painter vs. Juwan Howard for Midseason Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year this weekend.
• Purdue's put itself in a great spot for the NCAA Tournament, with tons of home games left and three Quad 1 wins in-hand already, maybe four if Michigan State can get its act together.
But if Purdue beats Michigan Friday, it's time to not just wonder about the NCAA Tournament, but to start talking about the Boilermakers as a Big Ten contender.
Already.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and good night.
